With hackers becoming more sophisticated than ever, an organization or institution demands an advanced and complete cybersecurity team in order to prevent the infiltration of or theft of sensitive data. Furthermore, 58% of companies admit that employees are not abiding by cybersecurity guidelines and policies. A dedicated security team could help enforce rules and regulations.

Although there are some basic conditions as to what makes a good cybersecurity team, in most cases, cybersecurity structures differ widely across companies. This is because the size and scope of a cybersecurity team will depend on how big the organisation is, what type of data it handles, the industry it’s in, and whether it relies on internal cybersecurity professionals or the help of a third party. 

Regardless, there are a set of vital cybersecurity team roles and responsibilities that should be taken into consideration.

Different types of some key cybersecurity team roles and their responsibilities

In order to help you understand what each cybersecurity team role is tasked with, we’ve prepared a list of fundamental team roles and their responsibilities. It’s worth mentioning that different organizations may have different names for the following team roles. 

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

The person in this role is tasked with the role of outlining the whole security backbone of a business entity or an institution. This is the individual responsible for the strategy, programs, budgeting, policies, standards and procedures put in place to offer full protection of the organization’s data and a shield for the informational infrastructure. 

In some companies, the Chief Information Security Officer is not only responsible for designing the cybersecurity regulations and foundations, but also for compliance. These specialists usually report directly to the CEO and represent the security team’s interests to 

Security Engineer

Security engineering consists of a multitude of different aspects. Some engineers in this space may specialize in SIEM, while others may have experience in endpoint security. You could have a number of different Security Engineers on your team, depending on how sophisticated and large your organization is. These individuals are tasked with tool maintenance, the introduction of new security tools to the system, and the updating of existing solutions.

They’re responsible for the creation of security architecture and reliable systems. Oftentimes, Security Engineers work alongside development operations teams in order to guarantee that the security systems used are bullet-proof and properly functioning. Furthermore, they take care of the documentation processes for procedures and protocols, making these resources available for others in the organization. 

Security Operations Center Manager

As the name suggests, Security Managers of this kind are responsible for overseeing the whole security operations center in a business or organization. These professionals can also be called SOC Managers. The performance of the security operations center team is managed by the Security Manager, who introduces hiring practices, technology development procedures, and more. The person in this position must possess a powerful combination of technical skills, incident response process ownership and managerial capabilities. 

The Security Manager in a business often communicates with security engineers to onboard new systems, processes and put in place new practices. They play the role of the direct manager to all participants of the SOC team. 

Although these are not all of the roles that you can discover in a cybersecurity team, they are fundamental positions that most security teams must have. The larger the organization, the more diverse the roles and responsibilities will be. 

Security Analyst

Also known as Incident Responders or Incident Handlers, Security Analysts are the ones to respond to and report a cyber attack or threat. They’re like the soldiers fighting to protect your organization, who directly come in contact with the opponents, in this case, the hackers. Their main responsibilities include detecting, investigating, and responding to attacks or incidents. These experts often take part in the creation of preventative security measures and the brainstorming and execution of disaster recovery plans. Security analysts are also the ones who can make reliable recommendations when it comes to the adoption of advanced and innovative security technologies. Most analysts have a rank that represents their level of experience. The more experienced an analyst, the more diverse the set of responsibilities they can handle.  

Final thoughts

Creating a stable and dependable cybersecurity team is vital if you want to guarantee full data protection for your organization, your employees, your colleagues, clients, and partners. With the rise of cybercrime on a global level, it’s essential to build a team that you can count on. At 3Cyber-Sec, we can help you fill in the missing pieces of your cybersecurity team and support you in the adoption of legitimate and sophisticated cybersecurity practices and new technologies. We’re here to help you mitigate any cyber risks that your business may face. Get in touch with us and let’s discuss how we can help. 

The post Cybersecurity team roles and responsibilities appeared first on 3Cyber-Sec.

The sheer variety of cyber threats is on the rise and it’s important to look at the trends for 2022 both in terms of what problems we’re seeing and likely to see during the year as well as what solutions these organisations are taking to prevent and manage cyber threats. To find out more about cybersecurity trends for 2022, keep reading below.

The problem: setting the scene for 2022

Our virtual lives are being impacted on a daily basis by threat actors and malicious hackers who seek access to personal information and data to cause financial losses, reputational damage and even business and governmental disruptions to achieve their goals. With this in mind, it’s important to take a look at some of the cybersecurity challenges that we’re expected to see more of during the year. 

• Ransomware

Ransomware is a financially motivated cybercrime. It generally consists of malicious actors taking hold and control of an organisation’s data and files and preventing them from using it until a ransom is paid. The currency of choice is typically crypto. Ransomware is on the rise and it is predicted to increase further in the year.

• 5G data transfers via cloud

Remote work has become a normal part of our lives as more and more people work from home. With this, there is an increased use of cloud facilities to exchange and transfer data. One of the fastest ways to do this today is through 5G data transfers. But cybercriminals are capable of intercepting connections between workers in their homes (which may not be as secure as a workplace network) and then gaining access to data and personal information without necessarily being noticed. 

• Susceptibility to phishing owing to greater remote work

Phishing is a malicious act that seeks to cripple organisations through infecting them with viruses or gaining access to their valuable data. With the rise of remote work, as mentioned above, there is a lack of access or insufficient supervision of private networks and therefore less control over what employees click on when they receive an email. Phishing scams typically target email users but it’s not only that. However, through email, an unsuspecting employee may click on a malicious link or download a harmful attachment and cause their organisation great harm. 

• Creation of synthetic identities

Scammers are also beginning to become more sophisticated in terms of infiltrating organisations. One way of doing this is through the creation of synthetic identities. These identities contain a mix of real and fake personal data, with which they seek to gain employment in an organisation and thereby gain access to private data they would not have previously had the opportunity to get access to. 

• Mobile fraud/IoT devices

The world of mobile phones is massive. There are literally billions of devices owned by a vast proportion of the world’s population. These devices and others that play a similar role require Internet connectivity and therefore fall under the scope of the Internet of Things (IoT) category. However, cellphones can and are often stolen to see scammers using personal accounts to shop online, make money transfers, and more. This, together with the fact that scammers can take photos of people entering in their passwords, makes mobile devices unsafe and susceptible to risk in 2022 as well.

• Social engineering attacks

Social engineering attacks are attacks where a malicious threat actor seeks to gain physical entry into an organisation by masquerading as an employee, an interviewee, a third-party vendor or other actor that is legally associated with the organisation. This type of manipulation relies on the human factor and is increasingly becoming a problem to look out for in 2022.

• Phishing-as-a-Service: Geo-targeted attacks

Phishing was mentioned earlier as a problem related to remote work. However, the problem goes deeper than that. With geo-targeted attacks taking advantage of a user’s current geographic location, it’s becoming ever easier for scammers to target their victims via email and use information they know about the victim to craft more sophisticated emails that create a sense of urgency and call for an action to be taken. This action is typically associated with malicious intent that seeks to gain access to private information which the scammer can then use to defraud the individual affected.

Mitigating cybersecurity problems in 2022

Despite the challenges that we are facing with regard to cybersecurity in 2022, organisations are stepping up to the plate and are taking steps to mitigate their risks. However, it must be said that although many executives and CISOs see the need for increased protection, there are just as many that are taking little action to protect themselves. But, with mitigating steps being taken by proactive institutions, risks can be subdued and managed better. Some of the ways in which this can be done is by exploring links between vendors in digital supply chains or consolidating vendors in the security realm. 

Multi-factor authentication is also becoming a prominent method of doubling-up on security, as is real-time data monitoring. Furthermore, we are also expected to see much more offerings related to Security-as-a-Service, while the implementation of machine learning in mitigating cyber threats is another area of growth. Finally, with the legal need for GDPR compliance, at least in Europe, we’re likely to see more organisations taking measures to reduce risks and ensure that they are in good legal standing. 

Final thoughts

Cybersecurity threats are all around us and continued vigilance is required by all actors in an organisation. It takes one click to take you down the rabbit hole of phishing, ransomware or other cybersecurity related risks and challenges. At 3Cyber-Sec, we take your organisation’s security seriously. Consider us your partners in a safer online world where we play a leading role in managing and mitigating risks while also ensuring that threats are minimised and that malicious threat actors have little scope for manoeuvre.

The post Cybersecurity Trends 2022 appeared first on 3Cyber-Sec.

What is ransomware?

A malicious form of software the blocks all access to an organisation’s files and data in exchange for a sum of money (usually Bitcoin because it can’t be traced) is referred to as ransomware. It can be instigated by malicious threat actors by sending emails to unsuspecting employees who click on links, download attachments or open websites that have been infected without their knowledge. 

This way, the threat actor gains entry into the organisation’s portals and systems and blocks them for usage until the sum of money has been paid. Research indicates that while the cost of such attacks has been in the region of $20 billion in 2021, this cost is likely to more than quadruple in the next few years to over $200 billion by 2031. While staggering, this is an immediate indicator to all organisations that they need to step up their cybersecurity.  

Ransomware developments over the first half of 2022

With half of 2022 already behind us, it’s important to consider some of the most important and also devastating ransomware and cybersecurity threats that took place around the world. 

The first development that emerges is that ransomware attacks are on the rise. In particular, organisations in the technology, education and government sectors have gone up. These have been followed by industries including: manufacturing, healthcare, services, retail, finance and utilities (in this order). The top ransomware exfiltration countries are China (21%) and Russia (17%), although the rest of the world makes up the bulk of the attacks at 60%.

Also interesting to note is the rising geo-political nature of ransomware attacks. With the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, threat actors on the dark web have also appeared to take a political stance for either states and have indicated that they will retaliate against anyone supporting what they perceive as the opposition through targeted attacks on their government and private institutions.

It’s also noteworthy that some threat actors are becoming well-known as Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) organisations. This means that the dark web contains a growing number of illicit “organisations” with highly sophisticated R&D departments that target institutions with the purpose of extracting money from them and halting operations.

One example of an entire country that was affected was the case of Costa Rica earlier this year. The country’s financial and healthcare ministries were attacked, putting ordinary Costa Ricans in harm’s way as they were unable to access much-needed healthcare. With an attack of such large proportions, it’s evident that both countries and private organisations need to step up their efforts in preventing such attacks from taking place. For more on this, take a look at the section below.

Other examples of high-level ransomware attacks include 27 that took place in January, with more in the months that followed. Cases of affected organisations include Portugal’s Impresa group, French aerospace company Thales Group and the Ministry of Justice in France. February saw 28 attacks on a global scale, followed by 25 in March and April and 26 in May. 

Steps to protect your organisation

With employees being an organisation’s most valuable asset, they are also the ones that can be the most susceptible to malicious threat actors. This is why one of the first steps an organisation should take to prevent ransomware attacks includes continuously educating its workforce to ensure that all individuals are able to identify potential attacks and know how to prevent them from worsening. Some examples of strategies you could teach your employees include being vigilant for phishing emails, avoiding downloading attachments that come from unknown sources, knowing how to recognise phishing attempts, not clicking on links that may seem harmful and others.

Another step that can be taken is to provide two-factor authentication to company or corporate data and files. This makes the path for a threat actor into an institution that much more difficult to access. Further steps that can be taken include always keeping software updated on all devices used. Any breaches that may occur could be a result of a poorly maintained internal cybersecurity processes and  infrastructure. Be sure that all end-points in your organisation are monitored and protected and monitor outgoing web traffic from your organisation to determine any potential leaks. 

In closing

Ransomware attacks are unlikely to decrease in the near future. In fact, they’re on the rise and they’re ever more sophisticated as threat actors seek to exploit organisational vulnerabilities. If you’re looking for a partner that can help solidify your cybersecurity strategy, reduce threats and prevent existing threats from escalating, get in touch with us at 3Cyber-Sec. We’re highly dedicated to ensuring that your organisation’s safety is top of mind and that strong efforts are made to protect it.

The post Ransomware Attacks Mid-Year Recap 2022 appeared first on 3Cyber-Sec.

Why is managing cybersecurity risks important?

Cybersecurity threats are all around us every single day. Malicious attackers seek to infiltrate organizations of all sizes in order to gain access to sensitive client data, cause reputational damage, seek ransoms in exchange for not leaking critical information with this causing serious financial losses and so much more. 

These threats are already hard for an organization to deal with on their own. However, it becomes even more challenging with third-parties involved in a business’ supply chain. Whether big or small, third parties must guarantee safeguards for mitigating and reducing cybersecurity risks in order for an effective and productive professional relationship to be created and to build trust between all the parties involved.

How can you mitigate third-party cybersecurity risks?

Third-party vendors are crucial in the business ecosystem. They can help with anything ranging from providing HVAC services to other more highly specialized ones such as data management and storage as well as payments processing. Each of these examples, and so many others, mean that third-party vendors can and do have access to sensitive company and customer data and this exposes the entire organization to cybersecurity threats and risks. There are, however, some ways in which you can address these risks and solidify the relationships with your suppliers and service providers. Here are 10 key steps to follow:

• Map your data flow

As a starting point, it’s crucial to map your data in both digital and physical formats, from origin and development to its disposal. Appoint data guardians to monitor each step in the process, including at which point of the data process third-parties come to the fore and what role they play.

• Identify the vendors your organization is using

After mapping your data flow, it will be necessary to identify all the third-party vendors that your organization has contractual relationships with. These can range from small service providers who take care of your office’s heating and cooling to more professional services such as remote data storage and processing and payments processing.

• Determine their risk potential and risk profiles

Once you have a list of all the third-party vendors that are a part of your organization’s ecosystem, you will want to create a risk profile for each one. These risk profiles can be tiered in terms of low, medium, and high. Each risk tier should be accompanied by selected and pre-determined risk criteria.

• Ask each vendor to complete a security questionnaire

Further to the above, you will now need to go into more depth about how each third-party vendor handles cybersecurity risks and threats. One of the best ways to do so is to send them a professional questionnaire that assesses how they safeguard data and how and which cybersecurity policies and plans they have implemented to reduce risks. Once you’ve done this, you can determine whether their risk mitigation and management practices are secure or whether they require more input and more stringent safeguards.

• Develop a security scorecard

After assessing each vendor’s cybersecurity protection efforts, you will want to develop a security scorecard. This scorecard will require some high-risk vendors to undertake immediate corrective actions, whereas medium-risk vendors will need to implement corrective actions within a given time period. Low-risk vendors, on the other hand, will be required to create a mitigation plan over the longer term.

• Prioritize risks and address them in that order

Once a scorecard is developed, you should prioritize the third-party vendors in terms of the risks they could potentially expose your organization to and then request that the higher- and medium-risk vendors address potential threats and gaps in their cybersecurity protocols as swiftly as possible before proceeding to enter into a contract with them.

• Create a stress test to determine weak spots

Stress tests are scenarios which are artificially created to simulate a data breach and the third-party vendor’s response efforts to such a breach. Stress tests are an excellent way of determining where the third-party’s weak spots lie and they enable you to communicate effective ways of addressing these weaknesses for the benefit of both organizations before an actual risk occurs.

• Include data breach requirements in all contracts

The language of the contracts that your organization enters into with each third-party vendor should include a reference to cybersecurity and data breaches. In addition, it should mention who will be responsible for what, what ramifications there are in the event of a data breach, how a breach should be handled, and how responsibility is to be shared.

• Set risk expectations and requirements with the third-party

In addition to stipulating responsibilities in your contracts, there should also be clear expectations set with the third-party vendor in terms of risk management. These expectations should be clearly set out for the vendor so that they know exactly where they stand and what their responsibilities are in the event of a data breach. 

• Continuously monitor, strengthen, and streamline

Cybersecurity management is not a once-off process but rather an ongoing endeavour that needs continuous monitoring, evaluation, development, refinement, and streamlining. As a result, this means that your cybersecurity risk mitigation efforts, when viewed in conjunction with third-party vendors, requires ongoing refinement and honing. As cyber threats evolve, so should the response of your organization and those of the third-parties you deal with. 

Final thoughts

Organizations in today’s business landscape operate in increasingly vulnerable worlds. They need to tread the waters of cybersecurity very carefully in order to mitigate, prevent, and address security breaches, which can be costly for any business. The interconnectedness of organizations also means that third-party vendors should offer a series of safeguards for how they mitigate and deal with cybersecurity risks. But the onus lies on the primary organization to ensure that the vendors it works with have clear expectations, follow set protocols within clearly established deadlines, and continuously work to minimize cybersecurity risks and threats. At 3Cyber-Sec, your third-party relationships in terms of cybersecurity can seamlessly be addressed through professional methodologies to mitigate such risks. 

The post How to manage the cybersecurity risk from 3rd party vendors you work with? appeared first on 3Cyber-Sec.

What is cybersecurity and why is it important?

But first things first. It’s important to take a look at what cybersecurity is and why it’s important. In short, cybersecurity deals with all the aspects of protecting an organization from malicious cyber attacks. This includes enabling safer browsing for both employees and end-customers, protecting businesses from hacks and viruses, and in general, it deals with the safeguarding of all sensitive data that, if breached, could have significant ramifications for a business. In addition, cybersecurity helps to protect online privacy, which is not only a legal requirement in some jurisdictions but is also a way of preventing data breaches.

On the flip side of the coin, if cybersecurity is not taken seriously, it can lead to significant financial losses, loss of business and investment, as well as the loss of customers. This is why it’s crucial to maintain your business’ integrity, confidentiality, and security so that you can protect systems, assets, and data. Some examples of how cybersecurity can help a business include protecting your organization’s reputation, improving website security, helping with remote working, and enhancing data management. 

Cybersecurity on a budget: 9 crucial steps to help get you started

While large businesses may have the resources to deal with cybersecurity better, this may not necessarily be the case for smaller ones, which are also vulnerable and at risk. However, the limitation of resources shouldn’t be a hindering factor when it comes to cybersecurity. There are some steps you can take that will not exceed your budget and that will ensure your organization stays safe. Here are our top nine suggestions.

• Use anti-malware software

Anti-virus and anti-malware software is available on the market at a relatively affordable cost. Such programs have been designed to detect and divert cyberattacks, such as malware, and since they are constantly and usually automatically updated, they can help keep systems safe. 

• Apply strong passwords

Weak passwords can easily be hacked and this can lead to great losses for a business. A weak password can include something that’s easy to guess, such as a birthday, a school you attended, a pet’s name, etc. Stronger passwords, on the other hand, are case sensitive, contain a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters, are generally longer passphrases, and are typically much harder to guess. The best part is that this costs nothing to update.

• Multi-factor authentication

Using multi-factor authentication is another way to stay safe online. All it takes is enabling the feature so that a user can receive a code on their smartphone, which they enter on the website or program that they’re using. This not only adds an extra layer of protection when dealing with sensitive data but it also makes it harder for hackers and malicious individuals to access.

• Avoid phishing

Phishing attacks have been on the rise over the past few years. One example of phishing is receiving an email from a potentially reputable organization where the content of the message implores a sense of urgency and requires you to click on a link, download an attachment, or enter your sensitive information such as passwords. To avoid phishing, it’s crucial to double-check the content of the entire message before you click or type in anything that could be detrimental to you. For example, check whether you were in fact expecting a message from this organization. If not, get in touch with them via their official channels of communication to ensure the message was actually from them. Beware of clicking on any links or opening attachments in emails from unexpected or unknown senders. Check for spelling mistakes. If the message of the email contains a sense of urgency and demands your immediate response, it’s important to first stop and think before you take any actions. 

• Encrypt sensitive data

Encryption refers to the process of taking sensitive data, scrambling it in an unrecognizable way or allocating a different code for it, and then sending it across to the end user. This is common when payment transactions are facilitated with credit card information such as the PAN number being “scrambled” so that anyone intercepting the transaction is unable to see and then use the real user’s data.

• Segment your networks

Network segmentation can help you ensure that if an attack takes place in one aspect of your business, other areas are not affected. In essence, it enables you to isolate a problem and address it without compromising or exposing your entire database.

• Create back-ups

Back-ups are crucial in this day and age as any information or data that’s damaged or accessed by a malicious third party is not ultimately lost for good.

• Educate your staff

With the proliferation of remote working, using public Wi-Fi or unprotected networks, the risks of threats becomes that much higher. Educating your staff through periodic cybersecurity campaigns can help reduce your organization’s levels of risk. Some examples of topics that can be covered include identifying what cyber threats, data breaches, and social engineering are, in addition to informing staff about phishing attacks and how to prevent them, amongst others.

• Hire professionals

An investment in a cybersecurity professional or the services of a cybersecurity organization is possibly one of the best investments you will make. These professionals come with years of industry experience and they not only think and act for the well-being of the business, they also test out vulnerable areas and attempt to address these vulnerabilities with stronger protection measures.

In conclusion

Cybersecurity is a must for any organization these days, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. There are several small and low-cost actions and investments you can make in your business to maintain your reputation and your client base, while keeping everyone in the ecosystem safe from data breaches. At 3Cyber-Sec, you can rely on us as we help all types of organizations – both big and small – protect vulnerable data and address any cyber threats that may arise.

The post Investing in cybersecurity with a limited budget – where should you start? appeared first on 3Cyber-Sec.

While in the recent past, cybersecurity was a field only giant corporations could afford, today, it has become more and more of a necessary investment even for small and medium companies. The wider adoption and penetration of cybersecurity measures and practices has led to many myths that quickly spread among the public. And in this article, we will try to break down the most common ones. 

Myth #1: It is too expensive for small and medium-sized companies to invest in cybersecurity

Cybersecurity costs may have been high in the past. Today, many expert companies in cybersecurity offer affordable solutions like vCISO that are perfect for small and medium-sized companies. Business owners and managers who say they can’t invest in cybersecurity measures don’t realize the potential damage a cyber-attack could have on their business. We are not talking only about the financial aspects here, and reputational damage could be far worse than any loss on the balance sheets. 

As Todor Kunev from 3Cyber-Sec’s expert team says: “If small and medium companies consider investing in cybersecurity, they should be aware that it takes decades to build trust, a loyal customer base, and a successful cyberattack can ruin all of that in a matter of minutes.”

Myth #2: Cybersecurity is a concern for the IT-department only

That is another common myth among the public. Any company considering that “Cybersecurity is a matter of IT Department only” will fail to involve the C-level in managing the entire corporate cyber security risk. And it will get delegated to IT technical staff, which is a huge mistake. It is like saying the financial security of the company matter only to the accountant.  

Cybersecurity should be a company priority set by the top management, and they are the people that should allocate time and resources to building the 360-cyber defense of the organization. Part of their efforts should be creating and nurturing strong cybersecurity culture and awareness among all staff members. 

For example, a phishing email could target any employee, and that could cause a data breach or ransomware attack. Investing in staff training could provide the staff of any company with the needed knowledge and awareness to detect and prevent the most common attempts of hacking. And it is a crucial part of building the cybersecurity posture of any organization. 

Myth #3: Cybersecurity is a one-time effort and a single investment

Unfortunately, there are some common myths about the frequency of cybersecurity efforts and investments. Managers and C-level representatives often imagine the whole process as building a digital security wall that will remain there forever once done. Your efforts in cybersecurity are like the ones you make for digital marketing – they need to be constant and continuous to bring results. 

Cyber threats change and evolve, and so should your defensive strategy. On the other hand, several measures and practices should be done at least once a year – like penetration testing and vulnerability assessment, especially if you have to cover compliance standards or similar regulations. 

Every business needs a trusted cybersecurity partner

While it is true that every business should invest in cybersecurity and find trusted and reliable experts to help in that task, the CyberSec industry should also put much effort into raising awareness and educating the public about the importance of cybersecurity. That is something we at 3Cyber-Sec deeply believe in and try to do every day.  

We have helped many businesses achieve compliance and build their cybersecurity from the ground up. If you need trusted and expert advisors that can deliver outstanding results – give us a call! We will be happy to consult you! 

The post What are the biggest myths about cybersecurity? appeared first on 3Cyber-Sec.

What is PCI DSS?

As you probably know, the PCI DSS is a global standard that covers the latest payment industry security measures. It is mandatory for any business that processes card transactions, and PCI DSS is the minimum set of technical and organizational requirements designed to help financial companies protect cardholders’ data against fraud through robust payment security. 

PCI DSS requires an annual certification, which includes a detailed security audit that covers areas like: 

• Networks security, segmentation, and management
• Account data protection
• Vulnerability management
• Access control management
• Security events monitoring and testing
• Policy frameworks
• And others 

As you can imagine, the PCI DSS applies to thousands of companies in various industries, and it will become even more critical with the penetration of digital payments. 

What should you know about PCI DSS v4.0?

The standard was released over two months ago, and there are already various resources available. Version 4.0 of PCI DSS aims to: 

• address the latest security needs in the payment industry; 
• support the promotion of constant development of cybersecurity; 
• provide more room for flexibility for companies with different cybersecurity strategies; 
• introduce improvements to validation procedures. 

To meet these goals, PCI DSS v4.0 has introduced some significant changes. However, there is a transition period as the previous version, 3.2.1, will be active and valid in the next two years along with the new one. That means that there will be two versions of the standard in force available to companies in the payment industry, and companies and organizations will have the time to adapt to the new requirements. 

What are the significant changes in PCI DSS v4.0?

Some of the most notable changes affect the following aspects of the standard: 

• Authentication requirements – introduction to new requirements for multi-factor authentication and multi-factor authentication systems; 
• Changes in password requirements – increased length of characters to 12. Some changes for passwords apply only to organizations that don’t use multi-factor authentication; 
• Introducing the option to use groups and share accounts in v4.0 tries to provide more flexibility. More flexible options are presented in the section for targeted risk analysis as well; 
• Another step towards flexibility is the customized approach that allows organizations to show how they are meeting the standard’s requirements. Now there are two validation methods. One that remains the traditional (defined approach), and the second is the new customized method. For the second one, the organization will determine the security controls that will allow it to meet the PCI DSS objectives. The assessor will choose specific testing procedures based on the particular customized approach and then validate the security controls based on them;
• Any organization chooses which validation method to use. However, the customized approach is suitable for the ones that have more robust security measures and experience; 
• Some new changes address the application of the standard to cloud environments by showing more examples and adding clarifications in the section for service providers to make it more understandable how to apply it to cloud providers; 
• Some changes address emerging cyber threats – two new requirements regarding phishing attacks and a set of requirements to handle skimming attacks. 
• Targeted Risk analyses empower organizations to establish frequencies for performing certain activities

Members of the PCI DSS Security Council share that there are improved guidelines for the implementation of the standard and better reporting system. 

Achieve compliance for PCI DSS v4.0 

We expect more organizations to shift to the PCI DSS v4.0 even though the old one will be active for two more years, and version 3.2.1 will remain in force until 31.03.2024. Experts and companies have little less than 24 months to become familiar with the new requirements and see how things work. And some of the new requirements will have an additional period of one year before they become mandatory. 

It may seem like there is a lot of time ahead. However, we always try to encourage our partners and clients to introduce the latest and best practices for cybersecurity. It is good to start planning from now to implement PCI DSS v4.0 and not wait until the last possible time. We are here to support this transition. Just give us a call! 

The post PCI DSS v4.0 – what is new and what you should be aware of? appeared first on 3Cyber-Sec.

The decision to allocate time and resources to cybersecurity investment is the first and most crucial step in a long path to establishing the 360 cybersecurity posture of your organization. Before you go down this road, you should be aware of some essential aspects that we will explain in this article. That will help you have a better understanding and realistic expectations about the cybersecurity investment you will make. 

The owner and/or the top management should be part of the process

Suppose you thought you were going to hire cybersecurity experts and delegate the responsibility of dealing with RISK coming from cyber threats to them and your internal technical IT team. In that case, we have bad news for you. The experts you hire (internal or external) will report to you, and you will make strategic decisions based on their findings and recommendations. Depending on your level of cybersecurity, some things will have priority over others. It is similar to the work your accountant does for you. They are the experts in the company’s finances and balance sheets, but you, as the owner (or a manager), make the strategic decisions. Avoiding this responsibility will likely backfire. 

It is better to hire external cybersecurity experts

Fewer and fewer organizations keep internal cybersecurity teams on their payroll. Finding, training, and maintaining IT talent has become harder in the past few years. That is true for both public and private entities. Small and medium companies have the chance to hire expert companies that can handle their cybersecurity needs. They offer more flexible solutions and often are the cheaper option in the long term. A good example is the role of vCISO – a position that was part of the internal cybersecurity team is now a flexible service that offers more advantages to the businesses that use it. 

Cybersecurity should become part of the daily operations of the business

The cybersecurity measures you adopt should not be an extra burden for your team. They have to be integrated into the business processes and daily operations of the company and not disrupt the staff’s daily work. Management, cybersecurity experts, and team leaders should figure out how to implement the needed recommendations regarding dealing with cyber threats and motivate the people to follow them. 

Every staff member is a crucial part of your cyber defense

Many managers think that people are not part of cybersecurity measures. Things are the other way around – they are the most important ones. Each person from your staff is a potential target of a phishing email or other type of cyberattack that relies on human error. Your employees must have the needed knowledge and internal procedures on what to do in such cases. How to spot a threat, who to report, and how to act. That is the first step to making cybersecurity part of the company culture. Providing training, raising awareness, and helping the staff understand how vital their role is for the organization’s cybersecurity will enormously benefit your efforts to build cyber resilience. And it will help with the adoption of cybersecurity as part of the daily workflow in the company. 

Achieve compliance even if it is not mandatory

For some industries and countries, there are mandatory compliance standards. If you handle financial card payments you should achieve compliance under the PCI DSS certification. A good example of cybersecurity standards is the UK Cyber Essentials which is mandatory for all companies that want to be eligible for public sector contracts in the United Kingdom. 

Like ISO 27001, others are adopted voluntarily by many organizations as part of their strategy for enhancing cybersecurity. It might be good for your company to explore the options regarding compliance and the benefits that might bring to you. Consult with the cybersecurity experts you work with to find the best solution for your business.  

In today’s world, the investment in cybersecurity measures looks more needed with each passing month. More organizations are taking that step to ensure the protection of their business from constantly evolving cyber threats. If you want to do this too, give us a call. Our experienced team has worked with many clients across various industries and managed to provide outstanding results! 

The post What do small and medium businesses have to know before investing in cybersecurity? appeared first on 3Cyber-Sec.

Make cybersecurity a strategic priority

It is essential to allocate finance and resources and make cybersecurity a top priority for your company. Hopefully, once you have been hacked, you now understand how severe and urgent is the need to take action. The first step in doing so is to be prepared to make cybersecurity a priority for everyone in the organisation – from yourself to all regular members of staff. Creating a culture of cybersecurity awareness among all employees is a crucial aspect of dealing with the problem. 

Build the cybersecurity posture of your organisation

Creating your cybersecurity defenses is not something you can do on your own. It can be a challenge for corporations to have an internal cybersecurity team. We recommend finding and hiring an external expert company in the field that has a good reputation and can deliver the services you need. Once this is done, you will start discussing your cybersecurity strategy. Several good practices should be done: 

1. Hiring a vCISO. 

That is vital in making cybersecurity like any other business process in daily operations. The virtual chief information security officer can manage everything from determining the risks for your business to helping with achieving specific compliance standards; 

2. Staff awareness training

You need to provide your employees with the skillset to detect cyber threats. A lot of cyber attacks are due to human error. From weak passwords to phishing emails – those are risks that can be avoided if people working for you have the needed knowledge and awareness; 

3. Vulnerability assessment

It can help you detect your organization’s network system, IT applications, and infrastructure security vulnerabilities. Vulnerability assessment is done by performing security scans manually or with the help of automated tools for testing. 

4. Penetration testing

It is a step after vulnerability assessment. This measure will help you understand potential vectors of cyber attacks that hackers might use to infiltrate your systems. 

Most importantly, you should realize that once you start, you should maintain your efforts. Cybersecurity is not a one-time thing that you do and never repeat. And it is a constant and ongoing process. 

Create a strong cybersecurity culture within your company

That probably won’t happen overnight but is very important. Every person you employ should be aware they have a role to play in maintaining the excellent cybersecurity of the company. Of course, there are some things you can do to help the process, which go beyond hiring a vCISO and training your staff. 

Explain to everyone how important is their commitment. Communication will make employees feel essential and commit easier to their responsibility regarding cybersecurity. Their roles might be minor, but they are vital. Increasing cyber awareness should be the first thing you start. And as a business owner or a manager, you have to lead by example. In that way, the others will follow. 

If you need help in improving your cybersecurity – give us a call.  We are a trusted partner for many businesses in various industries, and we would love to help you as well. 

The post Have you been hacked? What should you do to prevent it from happening again? appeared first on 3Cyber-Sec.

Digi News shows that IoT devices have been subject to 1,5 billion cyberattacks in 2021 alone. And the number is increasing as time passes. A report from Zscaler from 2020 showed a 700% increase in attacks on IoT devices since 2019. The article mentioning the word states that in 2021, only 24% of the information exchange in IoT was encrypted. 

What are the main weaknesses in the security of IoT devices? 

As data shows, there is a high risk of IoT devices, in general, being compromised by a cyber attack. Here are the principal vulnerabilities they have that may lead to such dire outcomes. 

Weak link #1: Bad password protection

“There is nothing new under the sun”, as we say in Bulgaria. Weak password protection has been a problem in cybersecurity for many years now, and it has transitioned to IoT.  

Weak link #2: Bad network security

Another point of entry for hackers can come from the poor security of network services, and it gives access to sensitive information from IoT devices. 

Weak link #3: Failing to update with the latest security patches

That is another common mistake that is not related to IoT devices alone. There is often a security breach of devices with out-of-date software versions. Usually, hackers use such vulnerabilities and attack devices that run old software versions with weaknesses that have not been patched. We told you a story several months ago about such a case. 

There are other cyber threats to IoT devices like AI-based attacks and vulnerabilities in the software and applications that run on or communicate with the devices themselves. 

How can we ensure protection on IoT devices?

Every problem has a solution. There are many ways to ensure protection. However, in many cases, we must start with the basics. Here is what companies that use IoT devices can do to improve their cybersecurity: 

• Train your staff – as you see, a central weak spot comes from poor password protection. To avoid that, you should conduct staff awareness training and enhance the skills and knowledge of your employees about IoT cyber threats and how to deal with them; 
• Find vulnerabilities and patch them up – it is better to find the weak spots in your systems before the hackers. You can do so with a combination of vulnerability assessment and penetration testing;
• Continue to invest and maintain a good cybersecurity posture – cybersecurity is a constant and ongoing process. As new cyber threats develop over time, companies must stay updated with their cybersecurity measures. Maintaining good cybersecurity is an essential investment today.

The number of cyberattacks on IoT devices (and not only on them) will continue to grow in the future, and the threats will become more in volume and numbers and more complicated. You can stay protected by working with experienced professionals like 3Cyber-Sec. If you need help with your cybersecurity, please contact us today! 

The post Internet of Things and the cybersecurity threats it brings appeared first on 3Cyber-Sec.